Door lock for laundry apparatus

ABSTRACT

Door lock structure for washing machines having a multiple speed belt and pulley transmission to provide at least two rotative speeds for the clothes containing tub and means, such as a solenoid, for changing from one speed to the other. The lock is actuated during the relatively high speed rotation and is controlled by the same solenoid controlling the transmission. The lock structure is characterized by a rod-in-tube assembly, with one end of the rod attached to the armature of the solenoid and the other end attached to a blocking member which, when moved by energization of the solenoid, assumes a blocking position interfering with a latching mechanism to prevent manually moving the latching mechanism to an unlatching position, thereby insuring that the door remains locked during the high speed operation of the machine.

ilnited States Patent 91 May 2a, 1973 Haller [54] DOOR LOCK FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS I [75] Inventor: Clayton L. Haller, Mansfield, Ohio [73] Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1972 Appl. No.: 221,183

U.S. Cl. ..68/12 R, 68/24 Int. Cl ..D06f 33/02, D06f 39/14 Field of Search ..68/l2 R, 12 F, 23,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary ExaminerWilliam 1. Price Attorney-1 H. Henson and Fred A. Winans [57] ABSTRACT Door lock structure for washing machines having a multiple speed belt and pulley transmission to provide at least two rotative speeds for the clothes containing tub and means, such as a solenoid, for changing from one speed to the other. The lock is actuated during the relatively high speed rotation and is controlled by the same solenoid controlling the transmission. The lock structure is characterized by a rod-in-tube assembly, with one end of the rod attached to the arma ture of the solenoid and the other end attached to a blocking member which, when moved by energization of the solenoid, assumes a blocking position interfering with a latching mechanism to prevent manually moving the latching mechanism to an unlatching position, thereby insuring that the door remains locked during the high speed operation of the machine.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATEN'|Em:.*-.Y29mm 3.73561 0 Q sum 2 OF 2 TIMER TIME CONTACTS CLOSED o 60 l Mwzmmm W OAST WASHSPIN SPIN- STOP COAST F|G.5

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a laundry appliance having a door locking apparatus for maintaining the access door locked during the water extraction operation of the clothes containing tub, which is accomplished by spinning the tub at a relatively high speed that is thereby inherently dangerous if, at this time, the rotating hub is accessible.

2. Description of the Prior Art The locking structure of the present invention is similar in many respects to the locking structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,343 and having a common assignee as the present application. However, in the above-identified patent the locking structure included an auxiliary solenoid mounted on the cabinet adjacent the latching mechanism to position, when energized, a blocking member in an interfering position with the latching mechanism. The locking solenoid was energized by a conventional timer at predetermined points in the cycle of operation.

In the present'application it is recognized that at the times during which the access door should be locked coincide with the times the solenoid controlling the multiple speed transmission is energized to place the tub in a high speed spin mode of operation. Thus, in the present invention, this spin solenoid is utilized to also lock the door by connecting a locking pin through a rod-in-tube assembly to the armature of thespin solenoid. This eliminates the need for an auxiliary solenoid and the wiring and switch for controlling its energizatron.

The rod-in-tube assembly is highly flexible permitting it to take generally any path from the spin solenoid to adjacent the latching mechanism of the access door.

SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The present invention provides a locking mechanism for the access door of laundry apparatus having a multiple speed transmission controlled by a solenoid for actuating the drive to the clothes tub through the high spin speed mode of operation. The locking mechanism includes a pin for blocking the unlatching of a manually operable latch on the door, and a rod, which is part of a rod-in-tube assembly, connecting the pin to the armature of the spin solenoid. In this manner, the pin ob structs the unlatching of the latch mechanism whenever the spin solenoid is energized.

Further, the present invention recognizes that the door should not be unlatched until the spinning tub has coasted to a stop, andthus, the timer contacts controlling the spin solenoid are closed to initiate the spin mode, but upon termination of the spin mode, the contacts to the. main drive motor are opened allowing the tub to coast to a stop, while the spin solenoid remains energized by the timer for a time normally sufficient to DRAWING DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of the, inside of a washing machine having a multiple speed belt and a pulley transmission with portions broken away for clary;

FIG. 2 is a subassembly showing the spin solenoid and the locking pin as connected through the rod-intube assembly and the door catch in an unlocked position;

FIG. 3 is a view of the door catch and locking pin in a locked position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the locking pin and door catch;

FIG. 5 is a chart illustrating flie energization of the main motor and spin solenoid during the washing cycle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to FIG. 1, the invention is disclosed applied to a clothes washingmachine of the type employing a clothes basket rotatable at low and high speeds about a horizontal axis for the washing and spin drying of the fabrics efiectively. This type of machine utilizes the washing and spinning unit 10 housed within a cabinet structure 11. The details of the casing and the mechanism for mounting the unit 10 there within have not been shown other than a single stabilizer 16 and suspending spring 17 (a plurality of both being generally used) for resiliently supporting the unit within the cabinet.

The washing and centrifuging unit 10 includes an outer stationary drum 12 and an inner perforated basket 13 for containing the clothes to be washed with the basket 13 having substantially the same configuration asthe outer drum 12. The basket 13 is arranged coaxially within the drum 12 with a shaft 27 secured to the basket end wall and having appropriate bearing structure (not shown) to rotatably support the basket within the outer drum.

It will be understood that the front end of drum 12 and the basket 13 have relatively large registering openings 18 and 19 respectively for gaining access to the interior of the basket and also the front wall of the cabinet structure 11 has a relatively large opening aligned with the access of the openings of the tub and basket. The access opening in the cabinet is closed by a suitable door structure 23 hinged to the cabinet in any suitable manner.

The power for rotating the basket at its relatively low washing speed and high centrifuging speed is derived from a constant speed motor 15 supported on the outer drum 12. The drive between the motor and the inner clothes containing basket 13 includes relatively low and high speed belt and pulley systems which are selectively operated. The lower speed pulley system includes a pulley 28 which is fixed to the shaft of the motor 15 in any suitable manner. Pulley 28 drives a belt 29 of the so-called V-type which in turn drives a relatively large diameter pulley of an idler wheel (not shown). The

idler wheel also includes a relatively small diameter pulley driving a belt 30 which is threaded over a pulley 31 which is the slowest speed driving pulley for the inner basket 13.

The high speed belt and pulley system includes an expanding or clutching type pulley 32 having one flange fixed in a suitable manner to the hub of pulley 28 and rotating at all times therewith, and an opposite flange 33 splined to the hub so that it rotates at all times therewith but may be moved axially with respect to the hub. As shown, the movable flange 33 includes an axial extension 34. A belt 35 is threaded between the flanges of the pulley 32 and over a high speed basket driving pulley 36. The latter is fixed to the shaft 27 of the inner basket 13 in any suitable manner.

Axial movement of the flange 33 is controlled by a bell crank 37 bearing at one of its ends on a center projection 38 formed on the hub extension 34. The bell crank 37 is pivoted to a frame 39 secured in any suitable manner to the stationary outer tub, and defining a support for a solenoid 40 having a coil 41 an armature 42. The armature 42 is connected to an end of the bell crank 37 for rotating the latter about its pivot and a tension spring 43 is interposed between the armature 42 and bell crank 37 to limit to a predetermined value the axial thrust acting on the movable flange 33 when the solenoid is energized.

Thus, during washing operations, the bell and pulley transmission 14 is in the position shown in FIG. 1 so that the basket is rotated by the slow speed belt 30. At the conclusion of the washing operation, and the subsequent draining of the wash water from the outer drum 12, the solenoid 40 is energized through timer contacts. This causes armature 42 to move inwardly with respect to its coil 41 and expand the spring 43 imparting a predetermined axial force or thrust to the flange 33 through the bell crank 37. As the flange 33 moves axially, it gradually engages the high speed belt 35 to take over the drive of the basket for a high speed spin or centrifuging operation. It is during this high speed operation that it is desirable to maintain the access door 23 locked in a closed position.

To this end, a locking mechanism is actuated through the spin solenoid 40 via the following structure: As seen in FIG. 2 a bracket 45 is attached, as by riveting to the stationary frame 39 supporting the solenoid. Bracket 45 includes a collar member 45a which is pinched tightly about one end of a length of flexible, preferably plastic, tubing 47. The armature 42 of the solenoid 40 supports a strap member 48 extending outwardly between opposing frame members and defining an aperture 49 in general alignment with the end of the plastic tubing 47 as retained in bracket 45. A rod 50, of similar flexible material as the tubing 47 and having a dimension so as to be slidably received within tubing 47, has one end received in aperture 49. Means, such as clamps 51 tightly engage the tube on either side of strap 48 and cause the rod to be movable in response to movement of the armature through the movement of the attached strap 48. The plastic rod 50 and tube 47 are of such length and provide sufficient flexibility that they can assume any unobtrusive path for their opposite ends to be disposed adjacent the access opening in the cabinet 1 l.

The door structure 23 is similar to that shown in previously identified patent, and supports a spring biased latch member 53 disposed between front and rear panels 54 and 55, respectively, of the door and generally defining a rectangular member having its upper portion 56 projecting through the upper flange of the door for manual accessibility and defining an aperture 57 therethrough disposed in general alignment with an aperture 55 in the rear door panel. The latch member is spring biased to an upper position whereby the lower perimeter of its aperture is elevated with respect to the lower ner, asthe door 23 approaches its closed position, cam face 60 contacts the lower perimeter of aperture 57 camming the latch member 53 out of the way against the bias of its attached spring. Once the door assumes its fully closed position, the latch member 53 is forced upwardly to engage the shoulder portion 61 of the catch and maintain the door closed. To open the door the latch is manually depressed until its lower perimeter clears the hook portion permitting the door to be pivoted outwardly.

The upper face of the catch member 59 defines a longitudinal arcuate groove 62 which has a locking pin 63 rotatably nested therein. The locking pin can generally be defined as a cylindrical shaft with that portion that normally lies within the groove 62 being cut or machined away along its longitudinal axis to form a semi cylindrical tongue 64 with another portion extending rearwardly from the catch member and supported for rotation in aligned apertures of opposing leg of an inverted U-shaped support member 66. A pinion gear 67 is securely attached to the cylindrical portion of the locking pin extending between the legs of the support member so that rotation of the gear rotates the tongue 64. One end of the flexible tubing 47 is stationarily attached generally adjacent the U-shaped support member 66 as by clamping thereto whereas the associated end of the rod member 50 is attached to a rack 68 generally disposed between the bight portion of the U- shaped support 66 and the pinion gear 67, in mesh with the teeth of the pinion gear. Therefore, it is seen that the linear motion of the armature 42 transferred through the rod 50 is transferred to rotative motion of the locking pin. The locking pin 63 normally has its machined surface facing upwardly and flush with the top surface of the catch member 59. However, rotation of the locking pin from this position as more clearly shown in FIG. 3, causes the arcuate surface of the pin to face upwardly and be disposed generally above the top surface of the latch member. When the arcuate surface is in its upward position, it is sufficiently close to the upper perimeter of the aperture within the latch member to prevent manual depression thereof when the door is in the closed position and thereby locks the door in this position.

The motion necessary to rotate the locking pin 180 is achieved through the movement of the armature 42 of the solenoid 40 transmitted by the strap mounted thereon to the flexible rod 50 received within the tube 47, which is attached to the rack and pinion drive. Thus, it is seen, that as the spin solenoid is energized to place the machine in a spin mode of operation, the rod 50 is generally pushed through the tube 47 a sufiicient distance to cause the locking pin 63 to rotate 180. Deenergization of solenoid 40 permits spring 43 to pull the armature 42 out of the solenoid coil which in turn will pull the rod back, reversing the rotation of the locking pin to again place the flat surface upwardly and permit depression of the latch member.

Referring now to the chart of FIG. 5 having bars generally illustrating the points in the cycle the timer contacts are closed thereby controlling the spin solenoid energization and deenergization and the drive motor energization, and deenergization, it is seen that to maintain the door in its locked position the main drive motor is deenergized permitting the spinning tub to coast at least to a slower speed and preferably to a complete halt while the spin solenoid continues to be energized to maintain the door in a latched position. At the end of what is normally determined to be a suflicient length of time for the tub to stop, the timer contacts to the spin solenoid are open, deenergizing the solenoid, permitting the door to be unlatched for access to the interior, and the motor contacts are then available to be closed to continue the washing operation.

I claim:

1. In a clothes washing machine including a washing tub adapted to be rotated by a main motor at a lower washing speed and a relatively higher spin speed in accordance with deenergization and energization, respectively, of a spin solenoid having an armature:

a door for said tub;

latch means manually movable between one position holding said door closed and another position to permit said door to be opened for access to the interior of said tub; and,

means extending from said armature to said latch means for selectively blocking and unblocking movement of said latch means from said one position to said another position, said last-named means being connected for operation directly by and concurrently with energization and deenergization of said solenoid to effect said blocking and unblocking respectively of said latch means.

2. The structure of claim ll further including timer means for controlling the sequence of operation in a wash cycle of said machine, said timer means being arranged to deenergize said main motor a sufficient length of time before deenergization of said spin solenoid so that the speed of rotation of said tub is reduced to at least said lower speed before said spin solenoid is deenergized by said timer.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said blocking and unblocking means includes:

a pin movable between a blocking and unblocking position with respect to movement of said latch means a flexible rod-in-tube assembly comprising a rod member telescopically received within a tube member providing relatively free axial movement of one with respect to the other; and;

means for connecting one of said members between said armature of said spin solenoid and said pin, and means for connecting the other of said members generally stationary with respect to said machine to provide guiding support of said movable member when it moves in conjunction with the movement of said armature.

4. An automatic laundry apparatus including a clothes containing basket rotated by a drive motor through a multiple speed transmission, said apparatus operable through a predetermined wash cycle including a period of relatively high speed spin of said basket by energization of a solenoid operatively connected to said transmission to engage the high speed drive between the motor and the basket, said basket housed within a cabinet structure having an access opening and door structure for closing the opening, and further including means for maintaining said door in a closed position and means for automatically locking said door in said closed position during said period of high speed spin, said locking means comprising:

blocking means adjacent two relatively movable parts, one part comprising a portion of said door structure and the other part comprising a portion of said cabinet structure, said blocking means movable from a position permitting free relative movement of said parts to a position preventing relative movement of said parts; and,

means connecting said movable blocking means to the armature of said spin solenoid for transmitting the movement of said armature to said movable blocking means, whereby said movable blocking means assumes said position preventing relative movement when said solenoid is energized and said movement permitting position during all other portions of said wash cycle.

5. Structure according to claim 4 wherein said means connecting said movable blocking means to the armature of said spin solenoid includes a flexible rod-in-tube assembly comprising:

a rod telescopically received within a tube providing relatively free axial movement of one with respect to the other;

means for attaching one end of said tube generally adjacent said solenoid and the other end generally adjacent said door structure when said door is in a closed position; and

means for attaching one end of said rod to said armature of said solenoid and the other end of said rod to said movable blocking means.

6. Structure according to claim 5 and further including means for controlling the sequence of operation of said drive motor and said spin solenoid, said controlling means arranged to deenergize said drive motor a predetermined amount of time before deenergization of said spin solenoid so that the speed of rotation of said tub is reduced before said spin solenoid is deenergized. 

1. In a clothes washing machine including a washing tub adapted to be rotated by a main motor at a lower washing speed and a relatively higher spin speed in accordance with deenergization and energization, respectively, of a spin solenoid having an armature: a door for said tub; latch means manually movable between one position holding said door closed and another position to permit said door to be opened for access to the interior of said tub; and, means extending from said armature to said latch means for selectively blocking and unblocking movement of said latch means from said one position to said another position, said last-named means being connected for operation directly by and concurrently with energization and deenergization of said solenoid to effect said blocking and unblocking rEspectively of said latch means.
 2. The structure of claim 1 further including timer means for controlling the sequence of operation in a wash cycle of said machine, said timer means being arranged to deenergize said main motor a sufficient length of time before deenergization of said spin solenoid so that the speed of rotation of said tub is reduced to at least said lower speed before said spin solenoid is deenergized by said timer.
 3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said blocking and unblocking means includes: a pin movable between a blocking and unblocking position with respect to movement of said latch means a flexible rod-in-tube assembly comprising a rod member telescopically received within a tube member providing relatively free axial movement of one with respect to the other; and; means for connecting one of said members between said armature of said spin solenoid and said pin, and means for connecting the other of said members generally stationary with respect to said machine to provide guiding support of said movable member when it moves in conjunction with the movement of said armature.
 4. An automatic laundry apparatus including a clothes containing basket rotated by a drive motor through a multiple speed transmission, said apparatus operable through a predetermined wash cycle including a period of relatively high speed spin of said basket by energization of a solenoid operatively connected to said transmission to engage the high speed drive between the motor and the basket, said basket housed within a cabinet structure having an access opening and door structure for closing the opening, and further including means for maintaining said door in a closed position and means for automatically locking said door in said closed position during said period of high speed spin, said locking means comprising: blocking means adjacent two relatively movable parts, one part comprising a portion of said door structure and the other part comprising a portion of said cabinet structure, said blocking means movable from a position permitting free relative movement of said parts to a position preventing relative movement of said parts; and, means connecting said movable blocking means to the armature of said spin solenoid for transmitting the movement of said armature to said movable blocking means, whereby said movable blocking means assumes said position preventing relative movement when said solenoid is energized and said movement permitting position during all other portions of said wash cycle.
 5. Structure according to claim 4 wherein said means connecting said movable blocking means to the armature of said spin solenoid includes a flexible rod-in-tube assembly comprising: a rod telescopically received within a tube providing relatively free axial movement of one with respect to the other; means for attaching one end of said tube generally adjacent said solenoid and the other end generally adjacent said door structure when said door is in a closed position; and means for attaching one end of said rod to said armature of said solenoid and the other end of said rod to said movable blocking means.
 6. Structure according to claim 5 and further including means for controlling the sequence of operation of said drive motor and said spin solenoid, said controlling means arranged to deenergize said drive motor a predetermined amount of time before deenergization of said spin solenoid so that the speed of rotation of said tub is reduced before said spin solenoid is deenergized. 